Finish before cutting??

[mowerman1193]

I was wondering if anyone has tried sealing up the wood before its cut? Not sure if this would make any difference or not but I was thinking ( thats dangerous LOL) today on my way home from the workbench lumber yard. Would it help prevent thin wood (ie 1/8" red oak) from warping if I was to spray a couple light coats of shellac on it before cutting. I mostly use shellac for my finish and when I do use up the wood I would of coarse sand with real fine sand paper and shoot another couple coats on it. I just do not know if this would help prevent warping or not..Maybe spraying it would make it warp, LOL

Whats is you opinion?

The piece of wood I bought is quite wide 1/8x13x83 and I am sure it will most likely warp before I use it all..

Thanks
Kevin

[wood-n-things]

I don't think it will prevent warping, and depending upon how long it bangs around the shop may be more work than benefit as you have to clean up all the scratches etc when you get ready to actually use the wood.

I wouldn't bother...

[Mick Walker]

Kevin, is this piece of wood you have plywood or solid wood? Thin, solid wood is more apt to warp than plywood. I keep my large pieces of plywood in a cool, dry place and have no problems with warpage. I store them flat rather than on edge. You would have to apply a finish to both sides and edges if you have a moisture problem. I would think it would warp more if just one side was finished. I have no large pieces of thin, solid wood so this is just my opinion.

[mowerman1193]

Thanks for your replies, I do have a use for this wood within the next hopfully month.. Spraying sides edge's ect would not be a problem..I have a quart of shellac and I have spraying equipment as I work in the auto body collision field.

Mick, This is solid wood..I would use ply but I have been told that it has lots of voids ect.I am cutting a portrait of my wife and her father for a Christmas present for her father. Wanted to cut it out of ply because I wanted to cut it sized at about 13x15 or 15x17..but I have reduced my size to fit on this 12 1/2" board..Probably going to wish I had just bought a sheet of BB ply for this but I cut most everything with that and it just doesn't look good to me..

Kevin

[JohnB]

G'day Kevin,
Sealing the timber will help prevent warping as it stops the transfer of moisture into and out of the board. With a piece of solid timber this thin, I'd definitely seal it all around and place it on a flat surface, with another flat piece of material on top then a few weights until I'm ready to use it.

[georgewoodie]

mowerman1193:

I recall that I read some place that there is no 100% guarantee against moisture gain or loss after applying finish.

However, I suggest that you go to the manufacturer of your shellac [on their web site] and ask them how efficient their product is for moisture control and perhaps they may have a professional suggestion.

I usually apply finish early in my project and mask off any glue areas. Works for me.

Woodie

[Bill Wilson]

Wood movement can still occur in furniture that was varnished a 100 years, so I'm not sure applying a finish will prevent it in raw lumber. It's kind of the nature of the beast, if you will. Warping is usually a symptom of improper drying in the first place, high variability in relative humidity or the wood is reactive, meaning there is something about the way it grew that will cause it to warp despite the best efforts.

With properly dried and acclimated wood, I find cupping to be more of an issue than twisting. Cuppng can be avoided or at least minimized by proper storage, air flow, humidity control, etc. If you plane your own boards to thickness, take roughly equal amounts off of both sides. Also, don't plane it to finished thickness until you are ready to use it.

I figure, if a board it gonna twist, after it's dried, there isn't much you can do about it.

[Mick Walker]

Kevin, I used to get my plywood from Scroll Saw Patterns Plans Books & Blades for your projects - On Sale at Scroller Ltd. but can now get it locally from Wildwood design. I use the Finnish birch plywood which has no voids and it is glued with exterior glue. Some has a very pretty grain to it.